St. Vitus Cathedral

The Gothic cathedral inside the castle, with the crown jewels and Mucha's window

Area Hradčany
Type Church
Time needed 1h 15m

St Vitus Cathedral stands in the third courtyard of Prague Castle and is the burial church of the Bohemian kings. Building started in 1344 under Charles IV and the west front was only finished in 1929, which is why the two halves look different once you know to look. The nave is free to walk into; the chancel, the royal tombs and the tower are ticketed as part of the castle circuit.

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Getting there

The cathedral has no separate entrance of its own: you reach it through the castle, so the approach is the castle's approach. Tram 22 to Pražský hrad or Pohořelec, or metro line A green to Malostranská and then tram 22 one stop or the Old Castle Steps on foot. From the Old Town Square allow thirty minutes by tram and walk, or thirty-five walking the whole way across Charles Bridge and up Nerudova. Inside the castle you pass security screening, cross the second courtyard and the cathedral is immediately in front of you.

What you see

From the third courtyard, look up at the south side: the Golden Gate with its mosaic of the Last Judgement, and the Great South Tower with its mismatched Renaissance cap. Inside, the first thing most people stop at is the Mucha window in the north aisle, a 1931 art nouveau panel in colours nothing else in the building comes near. Walk up the nave to the Chapel of St Wenceslas, its lower walls set with polished semi-precious stones, with the door to the crown jewel chamber above it — the jewels themselves are not on display. The chancel holds the silver tomb of St John of Nepomuk, extravagant even by baroque standards, and below the floor is the royal crypt with Charles IV among the sarcophagi. The climb up the south tower is a long spiral stair ending at the bell chamber and a rooftop panorama.

What to pair it with

Prague Castle itself, since the cathedral is inside it, along with Golden Lane and the Old Royal Palace on the same ticket. Beyond the gates, Loreta and Strahov Monastery are a short level walk west along the ridge.

When to go

The first hour after opening is by far the best, before the coach groups reach the third courtyard; by late morning the nave is a slow-moving crowd and the doorway queues. Mid-afternoon sun lights the south windows, but it is the morning that brings the Mucha window to life in the north aisle. The cathedral closes to visitors during services, which happen more often on Sundays and at Christian festivals, so check before you go if your day depends on it. Winter mornings are quiet and very cold inside.

What is hard about it

The free part of the nave is a roped-off strip near the west end, and from it you cannot see the chancel, the tombs or much detail — people who expect to see the whole interior for nothing are regularly disappointed. The tower is a few hundred steps of tight spiral with no lift, no passing room and nowhere to rest, and it is closed in high wind. Photography inside is restricted in places and flash is not allowed. Acoustics and crowd noise mean the building rarely feels like a church in daylight hours.

Common questions

How long do you need at St Vitus Cathedral?

Around an hour and a quarter covers the nave, chapels, chancel and crypt at a steady pace. Add half an hour if you climb the tower.

Is St Vitus Cathedral free?

The front section of the nave is free to enter. The chancel, royal crypt and tower need a castle circuit ticket, and queues for the free section can still be long.

Can you see the Czech crown jewels?

Not normally. They are kept in a sealed chamber above the Chapel of St Wenceslas and shown only on rare occasions, so assume they will not be on view.